Alabama 6-foot-5 WR expected to ‘emerge as a big-time player’

July 31, 2025; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Wide receiver Derek Meadows makes a catch during the second practice session of the preseason for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Certain positions on Alabama football’s depth chart have question marks on them right now, but perhaps the position with the most exciting uncertainty is wide receiver.

Ryan Coleman-Williams and Lotzeir Brooks are returning wide receivers that played a significant number of snaps for Alabama last year, but the question that most fans are looking to have answered is who else will step up in the wide receiver room. One of Alabama’s star defensive backs has picked one Alabama wide receiver that he thinks will stand out this year.

At SEC Media Days, Alabama corner Zabien Brown said he expects wide receiver Derek Meadows to “emerge as a big-time player” for the Crimson Tide this season.

“I think Derek Meadows is definitely going to emerge as a big-time player for us,” Brown said to Tide 100.9’s Ryan Fowler during an interview at SEC Media Days.

Meadows is a 6-foot-5 wide receiver out of Las Vegas that’s entering his sophomore season. In 2025, Meadows saw some action on offense and special teams.

Meadows dealt with his share of adversity last season as he took a heavy hit to the head while trying to catch a ball in the Missouri game. That resulted in the Missouri defender being ejected for targeting and Meadows entering concussion protocol for a few days

Meadows made some significant plays during Alabama football’s A-Day game this spring. The sophomore hauled in a couple of catches including a touchdown grab where he fought through contact to punch it in for six.

After Alabama football’s A-Day, Coleman-Williams had a lot to say about Meadows and his consistency.

“Y’all seen it,” Coleman-Williams said. “It was pretty consistent and that’s what it’s been throughout the entire spring. I think we’re on practice 14 now, this is 13 or 14, and that’s pretty much who Derek Meadows is. He’s gonna make the play, he’s gonna be in position. So really nothing that I didn’t expect. He’s a super consistent guy, always smiling, always ready to come to work every single day.”

Meadows will have an opportunity to step up and show what he can do when Alabama’s fall camp starts in a couple of days.